Polymer Based Packaging

​Omya's calcium carbonate is applied to enhance mechanical properties and improve productivity in a wide variety of rigid and flexible packaging applications, from thin films to thicker sheets. Calcium carbonate can boost the output of processing lines while achieving improved impact strength and higher stiffness.

Omya's products improve the mechanical properties and enhance the conversion performance in addition to a tangible raw material, production time and carbon footprint savings.

Omya brings innovation to both consumer and industrial polymer packaging market offering several solutions for primary, secondary and tertiary packaging bases on HDPE, PP, PS, PET and other special polymer types. Carrier bags, cavitated & shrink-wrapped film, sleeve labels, trays, lids, bottles and caps & closure are just few and today well known examples of plastic articles where Omya's calcium carbonates contribute to a fundamental and valuable packaging optimization.

Omya's calcium carbonates also offer substantial environmental benefits by reducing CO2 emission, energy and petrochemical derivate consumption during packaging manufacturing and conversion processes and by minimizing LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) of finished plastic products. Omya is pleased to promote that its calcium carbonate when added to plastic products reduces the overall negative impact upon the plastic articles by replacing part of the petrochemical based components, which has led to a strong development in environmentally friendly applications with tangible goals on less emission of greenhouse gases and air pollutants (NOx and particulates).

Applications

Usage of calcium carbonates in PE film manufacturing increases line speed and specific output, faster heating and cooling cycles result in enhanced machine uptime. The main benefits for the end product include are for instance reduced raw material costs, improved mechanical strength and barrier properties.

BOPP films containing calcium carbonates providing either reduced film density or increased opacity and show up improved printability.

The main benefits of using Omya mineral additives in polypropylene market for tapes, straps, bags and big bags manufacturing considers manly the possibility to achieve outstanding mechanical properties and superior quality at ever-increasing mineral loadings. The main benefits in production include for example reduced splitting propensity of oriented polypropylene and increased stiffness.

Filling polypropylene sheets with up to 60 % calcium carbonate is a proven solution for running polypropylene on existing polystyrene thermoforming machinery with a comparable line performance and end-product quality.The use of calcium carbonate in PS products is also very popular, modifying both the mechanical performance and processing output for disposable packaging and tableware.

The main benefits of using Omya mineral additives in thermoforming include higher extruder output and faster cooling on chill roll, reduced cooling time in mold and faster cycles, higher stiffness, lower shrinkage, processing on existing PS thermoforming machinery, more isotropic, physical properties and improved forming accuracy.